"Mrs. Swisshelm Guillotined," Chicago Tribune, March 2, 1866

Jane Swisshelm, the veteran abolitionist and women's rights journalist and editor, had been engaged as a government clerk by Edwin Stanton, Secretary of War, who was an admirer of her work as a wartime nurse. This did not curtail her journalism, however, and she had opened a new journal, The Reconstructionist. Her written criticism of President Johnson proved too much and Johnson had her dismissed from her government clerkship on February 26, 1866. The Chicago Tribune commented on this response, noting that women such as Mrs. Lucy Livingston Cobb, one of the most notorious female "pardon brokeresses" had access to the White House whenever she wanted in order to get former traitors amnesty, while anyone who criticized Johnson was victimized. The editorial goes on to claim that Swisshelm was only expressing the opinions of the Republican Party which had won the White House and that women especially, since they did not have the vote, had the right to speak out in the Press. (By John Osborne)

The following text is presented here in complete form, as it originally appeared in print. Spelling and typographical errors have been preserved as in the original.

MRS. SWISSHELM GUILLOTINED

Andrew Johnson has caused to be dismissed from a clerkship in Washington, for using disrespectful language toward his inebriate majesty in her newspaper, the Reconstuctionist. Meanwhile the unimpeachable Mrs. Cobb, who professes to draw from pardon brokerage in a week a sum greater than Mrs. Swisshelm would derive from her salary in a year, still has the entree to the White House. Doubless Mrs. Cobb sustains the President's policy.

This is the first time an American Chief Magistrate ever used those offices which belong to the party to punish a woman for adhering to that party. It has been one of the prerogatives of woman to express her thoughts freely. Since she cannot vote, her "widow's mite" of political influence, contributed through pen and tongue, could hardly break down an administration so successful (World) and popular (News) and heroic (Chicago Times) and patriotic (Richmond Examiner) as Mr. Johnson's. Now that Mr. Seward declares that "the Union is a fixed fact," a point which no one would have doubted had he not found it necessary to affirm it, why not let the good lady express her contempt. If Andrew Johnson turns out everybody who despises his recent course, he will have enough left to fill the offices.